Gallup: record high 40% US are Independents
 

http://www.gallup.com/poll/151943/Re...?version=print

http://cellar.org/2012/gallopinds.gif

Although the chart doesn't go back that far, Gallup figures 40% is the high water mark since they started interviewing people on the subject, in 1951.

Very interesting. I had never seen a graph like that before.

I guess Independants are more likely to vote repubican.

When they "push" the independents into a party, everything's 50-50, i.e., 45-45.

http://cellar.org/2012/gallopinds2.gif

The Republican party is better at gaming the system.
For example, in the last election cycle, they spent a lot of money on state house races so that they could be in charge of drawing the redistricting maps in as many states as possible. Drawing the maps in their favor will result in them winning elections in what would otherwise be pretty evenly divided states for the next decade.

and Nixon's "southern strategy"

Heh... every time we get a Democrat president, fewer people start identifying as Democrat, and every time we get a Republican president, fewer identify as Republican. Across the years, people unanimously respond, "Well, I'm not with that guy..."

And if the Dem identification has been that consistently higher than Republican identification over the last 20 years, it makes you wonder why they can't manage to win more elections. Oh wait, I know why, Republicans actually go out and vote.

On the down side, this means that 60% of Americans still haven't figured out that the two major parties are screwing them over.

I guess 59%, once you deduct the one percent who are doing the screwing.

which independents? i mean democrats and republicans each get their votes, but independents are a collective of everyone who isn't part of a party, maybe they are 40% combined but it could 20 candidates with 2% or so each, none of which can win a nomination.

I'm still trying to find out what % of independents actually vote.
Anyone seen anything on this?